Chapter 10

Introduction .................................................................................................. 243 The Advantages of Building Relationships ................................................. 244 Long-Term vs. Short-Term Relationships ................................................... 245

Maintaining Trust ................................................................................ 245 Meeting the Needs of Both Partners .................................................. 246 Completing Tasks While Strengthening the Relationship ................ 246 Mutual Ownership of Outcomes........................................................ 247 Deep Personal Investment................................................................... 247 Commitment to the Other Partner’s Development.......................... 247 Building Common Ground through Shared Values ......................... 248

Working with Attorneys ............................................................................... 248 Learn Setting and Challenges ............................................................. 248 Meet the Client’s Expectations............................................................ 250 Communicate with Clients according to Their Expectations .......... 251

Telephone Communication ....................................................... 251 Correspondence .......................................................................... 252

Meet Their Needs ................................................................................ 253 What Problem Needs Solving?................................................... 253 The Needs of the Client ............................................................. 253 How to Know Whether Objectives Have Been Met................. 253

Morrison’s Big Three ........................................................................... 254 The Relationship with the Attorney................................................... 254

Maintain the Purpose of the Partnership ................................. 254 Learn What They Do and of the Cases That They Prefer....... 255 Learn Their Professional Habits and Preferences..................... 255

Learn Their Personal Habits and Priorities .............................. 256 Relationships with the Staff ....................................................... 256 The Nursing Process for the LNC ............................................. 257

Avoiding Becoming a Rescuer...................................................................... 257 The Patient Client vs. the Attorney Partner ...................................... 257

Self-Sufficiency............................................................................ 257 Level of Independence................................................................ 257 Needs and Goals ......................................................................... 258

Giving it Away...................................................................................... 258 Becoming a Dumping Ground........................................................... 259 Put it in Writing — How to Avoid the Rescuer Role ....................... 260

Intake Forms ............................................................................... 260 Written Contracts ....................................................................... 260

Avoiding Abuse .................................................................................... 261 Identifying the Undesirable Client .............................................................. 261

Ways to Identify the Undesirable Client ............................................ 263 The Initial Interview................................................................... 263 References from Other Attorneys .............................................. 264 Professional Services................................................................... 264

Taking Action ....................................................................................... 265 Dealing with Complaints ............................................................................. 267

Not What Was Expected...................................................................... 267 Billing Issues......................................................................................... 267 Turn-Around Time.............................................................................. 268 Out of Touch........................................................................................ 268

Staying in Touch ........................................................................................... 268 New Contacts — before the First Case.............................................. 269 Active Clients ....................................................................................... 269

Expanding Services with the Existing Client .............................................. 270 Advantages of Expanding with Current Clients................................ 270 Looking for Ways to Expand .............................................................. 271

Expanding the Client Base through Direct Referrals................................. 271 Advantages of Referrals from Clients................................................. 271 Ways to Generate Referrals from Current Clients ............................ 273

Make it Easy to Give Information............................................. 273 The Client as Professional Reference ........................................ 273 Satisfaction Surveys .................................................................... 274 The Direct Approach.................................................................. 274

Best Practices for Positive Partnerships ...................................................... 275 The Measure of Success....................................................................... 276 Use Time to Advantage ....................................................................... 276 Morrison’s Big Three ........................................................................... 276

Be Open and Unbiased ....................................................................... 277 Be Flexible ............................................................................................ 277 Learn from Success as well as Failure ................................................ 278

Suggested Reading for the LNC................................................................... 279 References ...................................................................................................... 279

Once the LNC has created a connection with a new or potential client, it is important to develop a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with that client. Although it is not necessary to have a well-developed partnership in order to read and summarize a medical record or prepare for deposition, having such a professional association with the source of that project provides the LNC many benefits over time. This chapter looks at the different types of relationships evident in business settings and contrasts the characteristics of short-term interactions with those of professional partnerships. Many different aspects of business as they relate to the growth and development of the working relationship are discussed.